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Changing Scenery on the Green Field: The Road to Glory for France and Portugal
Under the bright night sky of Europa, every speck of dust on the football field seems to contain the power to determine fate.
When France beat world third-ranked Belgium 1-0 in a thrilling 1-0 and Portugal showed tenacity on penalties to knock out Slovenia 3-0 on aggregate, the two very different paths to qualification converged in the quarter-finals, signaling another epic clash of European Championships.
Opening: A Symphony of Fate
As night falls, Bucharest's stadiums are lit up as if the whole city is waiting with bated breath for the upcoming football feast.
The matchup between France and Belgium is not only a contest between two teams, but also a collision of wisdom between two legendary coaches, Didier Deschamps and Martinez.
In the stands, the emotions of the fans fluctuated with the rhythm of the game, and every touch of the ball and every sprint touched tens of thousands of hearts.
French tenacity and Belgian regret
At the start of the game, the French team showed their unique attacking rhythm, but unexpectedly, the first half turned into a feast of fouls and yellow cards.
In the 24th minute, three players of the French team received yellow cards one after another, and the scene was extremely tense.
Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, the two Belgian strikers, are constantly killing the French defence, and every breakthrough is terrifying.
The French team's backline was like an impregnable wall, and they defused the opponent's attack one by one.
Fast forward to the second half, and just when it was thought it would be a draw, substitute Muani pulled off a miracle in the 85th minute.
His aggressive run forced Vertonghen to accidentally smash the ball into his own net and an own goal that sent the field boiling.
The French team blasted 19 shots on goal, and finally got this golden goal and announced Belgium's exit.
Didier Deschamps' team stood on the stage of the quarterfinals of the European Championship for the 11th time, while Belgium said goodbye to this green field with regret.
A night of horror in Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo's tears
On the other side of the battlefield, Portugal and Slovenia faced off in an equally gripping battle.
In the first half, Cristiano Ronaldo's high-quality free kick almost broke the goal, but unfortunately it was slightly over the crossbar, which made the fans sigh.
In the second half, the two sides went back and forth, Sesko's missed opportunity and Ronaldo's missed kill made the game suspenseful.
It wasn't until late in extra-time that Jota's breakthrough went down to the ground to win Portugal a valuable penalty.
Ronaldo's main penalty was saved by Oblak bravely, and at that moment, Ronaldo's eyes were filled with tears, which was a desire for victory and a regret for not being a hero.
The penalty shootout became the final chapter of the game.
Portugal's goalkeeper Costa was like a patron saint, saving the opponent's penalty three times, while Ilicic, Barkovic and Verbic missed points one after another, completely extinguishing Slovenia's hopes of qualifying.
In the end, Portugal won the penalty shootout with an aggregate score of 3-0 and advanced to the quarter-finals with great difficulty.
After the game, Ronaldo's tears were intertwined with the hugs of his teammates, and at this moment, the victory belonged to the entire Portuguese team.
The story behind it: glory and legacy
The French team, as the second strongest team in the world, is worth a whopping 1.23 billion euros, and is one of the giants of European football.
Didier Deschamps has been in charge of the Gallic Roosters for 12 years, and his steadfastness and intelligence have brought the team numerous accolades.
Despite their mediocre form in the group stage, France have always been able to show their strength in key moments, and this one was no exception.
Belgium, once number one in the world, are now ranked third and their golden generation is entering the end of their careers.
The Belgians felt unprecedented pressure after an upset defeat in the opening game of the group stage, but they eventually qualified as second in the group with their tenacious fighting spirit.
In the face of the French team's iron wall, they still failed to go further and could only leave with regrets.
Portugal, as the sixth-ranked team in the world, also have a strong squad and quality.
Since Martinez took charge, Portugal have performed well in all competitions, and have qualified for the European qualifiers with a complete winning record.
In the group stage of this European Championship, Portugal locked up the top spot in the group ahead of schedule and showed strong dominance.
And Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary star of Portugal, although he failed to score in this game, his every run and every shot is an interpretation of his love and dedication to football.
Slovenia, as the team that reached the main stage of the European Championship for the second time, they have performed well enough.
The group stage was drawn in three games, but with the best four group thirds, they caught the last train to the round of 16.
In the face of the strong Portuguese team, they were still honored, showing tenacious fighting spirit and indomitable spirit.
Outlook: New Showdowns, New Legends
With France and Portugal qualifying, the quarter-finals of the European Championship are about to usher in a much-anticipated matchup.
France have stars such as Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, whose speed and impact make any opponent feel terrified; The Portuguese team has experienced veterans such as Ronaldo and B Fei, and their tacit understanding and cooperation are the team's progress